Bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 128 MB microSD card

Uses the powerful SiRF GPS navigation chip for supreme accuracy

Includes barometric altimeter and electronic compass

Editorial ReviewAimed squarely at boaters and marine users, the Garmin GPSMap 76CSx is packed with features that seasoned mariners crave. The 7.6-ounce 76CSx now features an insanely accurate, high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF that tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons. Plus, you get a bright, sunlight-readable color TFT display and an included a 128 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail. Add all that to the 76CSx's integrated barometric altimeter and electronic compass, and you've got a highly capable unit. Simply put, the 76CSx is ready to take you anywhere on the water. Landlubbers will find much to like about this unit, too, as it packs great GPS mapping capabilities into a compact device.

Projected waypoint display. View larger.

Track profile. View larger.The GPSMap 76CSx features the powerful SiRF GPS navigation chip for supreme accuracy in all conditions. You also get an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter. You can use the 76CSx's memory card slot with preprogrammed microSD cards from Garmin (sold separately) that provide topographic maps, city streets, and nautical charts. In fact, the unit is compatible with most Garmin MapSource products, including BlueChart, City Navigator, U.S. Topo 24K, and U.S. Topo and Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. The unit comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap that provides automatic routing capabilities including highways, exits, and tide data. There's also a preloaded marine point database. You can even get turn-by-turn directions when you're driving, and an integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more.

The 76CSx's 2.6-inch, 256-color TFT color display is designed to present mapping and trip information clearly and accurately in any lighting conditions. Plus, the case is lightweight, rugged, and water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes). Marine users will also like the fact that the 76CSx floats. When using two AA alkaline batteries, you'll get up to 20 hours of battery life from the unit.

Another key feature of the 76CSx is the 10,000 point automatic track log; 20 saved tracks (500 points each) let you retrace your path in both directions. Meanwhile, there's a large numbers option for easy viewing, as well as a dual-position display mode. The unit also includes built-in celestial tables for best times to fish and hunt, plus sun and moon calculations. You also get audible alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off-course, proximity waypoint, and clock. The unit's barometric altimeter system features automatic pressure trend recording while providing current elevation, ascent/descent rate, minimum/maximum elevation, total ascent and descent, and average and maximum ascent and descent rate. Meanwhile, the electronic compass allows you to get accurate headings while standing still.

The 76CSx's trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Meanwhile, a fast processor allows the 60Cx to provide quick auto-routing, turn-by-turn directions, and audio alerts when you use the optional MapSource software, which can be stored on the unit's included 128 MB microSD card. Downloading information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces. Using the dedicated serial port, the 76CSx can share navigation instructions with repeaters, plotters, and autopilots.

If you like the features of the 76CSx but don't need an electronic compass and a barometric altimeter, check out the Garmin GPSMap 76Cx.

Latest 6 ReviewsHere is what people are saying about the Garmin GPSMap 76CSx Handheld Marine GPS Navigator

"Great for Sailing / Boating"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User from GD

I use this unit for Sailing on Lake Michigan. Take some time and play with it at first to get use to the setting you will use. Once you have it down its fun and easy to use.

"An easy to use GPS that's great for field work"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User from Northwestern Ontario, Canada

I purchased this GPS at the end of April 2010. After using it for over 3 months of field work, i feel I've gotten enough experience with the unit to write this review.

First thing I recommend doing before using the gps is to get the topo maps for your area. The basemaps on the gps are horrible, there's no detail and they are inaccurate. It's also a good idea to get a case for it and a screen protector to prevent scratching the screen and scuffing the exterior. I got this case for my gps, NEW CASE for GARMIN GPSMap 72/76 GPS in 'Hunters &amp; Hikers Brown' w/ Webbing Loop, Lanyard, Clip &amp; "Peel &amp; Stick" Screen Protector. - For Garmin GPSMap 72/ 76/ 76S/ 76CS/ 76CSx/ 76 Cx/ West Marine 76cs plus. Molded 'E-Z-Grip' Protection. Made in USA by F... , it fits perfectly and came with 2 screen protectors. The case does not affect the signal from my experience. I also bought a 2gb micro sd card with the GPS, but it came with a 1 gb micro sd card in the unit. I loaded all the topo maps for the province of Ontario and that took up about 700mb.

Performance wise, the gps works great it picks up signals quickly and I've never had any issues of losing a signal when I put the gps into my cruising vest pocket. The screen is easy to read even in bright sunlight. I've used it in different kinds of weather and I haven't had any problems so far. The tracks recording is not as detailed as the Colorado 400t, but it still works without any problems.

If you've never used ArcMap or have any idea what it is, the next paragraph will not make sense. For work, my company uses ArcMap, and with the garmin dnr extension, loading blocks (polygons) and waypoints into the gps is relatively simple (you will need some knowledge of how to setup the garmin dnr options so that the polygons appear in the right projection). You can also use it to download waypoints and tracks from the gps into ArcMap. Using another program called mapedit and send2gps gives you the ability to create your own garmin compatible image files that you can load onto the gps. For those of you familiar with garmin dnr, when you load up multiple polygons, the gps will treat it as a track and snap lines between all the polygons you upload, unless you upload and save them separately. This can be really annoying when you have to load up dozens of tiny blocks. Also, the topo maps only have the main bush roads, they don't show a lot of the secondary and tertiary roads. Using mapedit, I am able to take shape files from ArcMap and convert them into image files that can be loaded onto the gps. Using send2gps, I am then able to send these image files over to the gps creating a single image file that looks like a map made using ArcMap when using the gps. The only limitation to this is you can only use the golf course green or lake blue colour for your blocks, but in the map setup options you can turn on/off individual image files that you loaded.

So far, I've been very impressed with the 76csx. It is easy to use, gives you more control in managing tracks, and the ability to use other programs to upload/create maps for the gps is a major plus for me.

I've never tried to use the navigation option while driving, so I cannot comment on how well it works.

The screen is not as good as the screens for the newer gps's that've been released, but if you're looking for a rugged gps for work purposes, I highly recommend the 76csx with the topo maps for your area or if you have the ability to upload shape files.

"Not Compatible with Routes Created in Mapsource"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User

Routes created using Garmin's mapsource software on a PC may be transferred to the GPSMAP 76, but when recalculated by the handheld, the routes are not the same as those created in mapsource. In fact, they were substantially different.

Garmin support explained that the Mapsource software and the GPS76CSX use different routing algorithms. The only way around this is to add waypoints in the Mapsource routes to force the handheld to follow the routes you create on the PC. There is nothing in the documentation of either about this problem. This is a time consuming pain in the A.

This is enough of a problem that we would not purchase garmin for this use again. The routes designed on the PC must match the routes in the handheld after transfer.

"Works well"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User from Natick, MA United States

I got this to replace a seven year old Etrex and to help verify private aids to navigation for the USCG Auxiliary. It is very accurate, seems to have a long battery life, and picks up satellites quickly. My one complaint is that accessing the tide table function has been made more obscure than on older 76s (it's not listed on the Main Menu as it used to be under Celestial, which is also no longer there) and the manual is not very clear. It seems to imply that if you want to access the tide info you must buy the MapSource BlueChart g2 marine cartography. Actually, you can get to the tide info by going to the Marine Points icon under the Find menu. So to sum up. Good product with minor organizational issues.

"Garmin 76 CSX"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User

Product is OK, but all of the stuff you need to buy to make it work is limited. Bought it for the marine use on inland lakes and they offer the software, but it has no real detail like the maps you buy for the same lakes. Instructions are limited and you just have to trial and error to make it work. Also ordered the city navigation but even though it is a 2010 map, it is out of date. Also the detail of places to see and eat is out of date.

"Garmin GPSMap 76 CSX"

- Reviewed By An Amazon User

Overall, a great GPS. I do wish that it was easier to enter waypoint names and also wish a description of the waypoint could be entered. Regarding maps, I recommend only buying the DVD version otherwise they cannot be viewed on your PC as well as the GPS-- learned the hard way. Last nit... wish the screen was bigger.

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